Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa
Southern Africa: Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly was -16.71 Percentage change in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa, 1981–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Percentage change.
Analysis
Southern Africa recorded -16.71 Percentage change for exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in 2024.
That represents a change of down 106.0% on the previous year and down 25,094.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa peaked at 18.82 Percentage change in 2006 and was at its lowest, -17.7 Percentage change, in 2019.
That places Southern Africa 63rd out of 67 groups with data for 2024, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa, year by year
| Year | Percentage change | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1981 | 0.4202 Percentage change | — |
| 1982 | -4.11 Percentage change | -1077.5% |
| 1983 | -6.62 Percentage change | +61.1% |
| 1984 | -6.36 Percentage change | -4.0% |
| 1985 | -3.7 Percentage change | -41.8% |
| 1986 | 2.34 Percentage change | -163.1% |
| 1987 | -0.5979 Percentage change | -125.6% |
| 1988 | 11.72 Percentage change | -2060.5% |
| 1989 | 6.06 Percentage change | -48.3% |
| 1990 | -0.2774 Percentage change | -104.6% |
| 1991 | 4.11 Percentage change | -1581.7% |
| 1992 | -16.67 Percentage change | -505.5% |
| 1993 | -3.22 Percentage change | -80.7% |
| 1994 | -8.72 Percentage change | +170.9% |
| 1995 | -3.22 Percentage change | -63.1% |
| 1996 | 3.82 Percentage change | -218.6% |
| 1997 | 8.17 Percentage change | +113.8% |
| 1998 | -4.85 Percentage change | -159.4% |
| 1999 | -2.48 Percentage change | -48.9% |
| 2000 | 16.2 Percentage change | -753.1% |
| 2001 | 12.88 Percentage change | -20.5% |
| 2002 | -2.81 Percentage change | -121.8% |
| 2003 | -11.39 Percentage change | +305.3% |
| 2004 | 1.01 Percentage change | -108.8% |
| 2005 | -3.57 Percentage change | -454.9% |
| 2006 | 18.82 Percentage change | -627.1% |
| 2007 | -10.64 Percentage change | -156.5% |
| 2008 | -0.8904 Percentage change | -91.6% |
| 2009 | 3.59 Percentage change | -503.5% |
| 2010 | 0.9872 Percentage change | -72.5% |
| 2011 | 17.91 Percentage change | +1714.0% |
| 2012 | -0.567 Percentage change | -103.2% |
| 2013 | -10.63 Percentage change | +1775.4% |
| 2014 | 0.0668 Percentage change | -100.6% |
| 2015 | -12.85 Percentage change | -19330.0% |
| 2016 | -9.67 Percentage change | -24.8% |
| 2017 | -0.7139 Percentage change | -92.6% |
| 2018 | -7.86 Percentage change | +1001.3% |
| 2019 | -17.7 Percentage change | +125.1% |
| 2020 | -4 Percentage change | -77.4% |
| 2021 | 4.09 Percentage change | -202.3% |
| 2022 | 6.18 Percentage change | +51.1% |
| 2023 | -8.11 Percentage change | -231.3% |
| 2024 | -16.71 Percentage change | +106.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -0.0931 Percentage change | -6.62 Percentage change | 11.72 Percentage change | 9 |
| 1990s | -2.33 Percentage change | -16.67 Percentage change | 8.17 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.32 Percentage change | -11.39 Percentage change | 18.82 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2010s | -4.1 Percentage change | -17.7 Percentage change | 17.91 Percentage change | 10 |
| 2020s | -3.71 Percentage change | -16.71 Percentage change | 6.18 Percentage change | 5 |
Countries ranked near Southern Africa
- 60 Singapore 0.8327 Percentage change compare
- 61 Samoa 0.7823 Percentage change compare
- 62 Italy 0.775 Percentage change compare
- 63 Switzerland 0.7024 Percentage change compare
- 64 Greenland 0.6762 Percentage change compare
- 65 Vanuatu 0.6756 Percentage change compare
- 66 Malaysia 0.5975 Percentage change compare
More environment data for Southern Africa
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly 4.17 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly 7.61 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Temperature change 0.892 °C (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.282 °C (2025)
- Industrial roundwood — Export quantity 427,327 m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood, non-coniferous — Production 9.63 million m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Import value 35,013 1000 USD (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Import quantity 161,260 m3 (2024)
- Industrial roundwood — Production 17.26 million m3 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa?
- Exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly in Southern Africa was -16.71 Percentage change in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Southern Africa?
- The highest recorded value was 18.82 Percentage change in 2006.
- What is the lowest exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly recorded in Southern Africa?
- The lowest recorded value was -17.7 Percentage change in 2019.
- How does Southern Africa rank for exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly?
- Southern Africa ranks 63rd out of 67 groups with data for 2024.
- Is exposure to drought — land soil moisture anomaly rising or falling in Southern Africa?
- Over the last ten years it is down 25,094.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Southern Africa data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The dataset provides annual anomalies in land and cropland soil moisture content of the top soil layer compared to the reference period 1981-2010. Exposure indicators to drought have been prepared by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Please see the working paper for a more complete description of the methods. The datasets span the period 1981-2022 and is the result of the use of a variety of geospatial data sources, including the ERA5-Land averaged monthly data of volumetric soil moisture and ESA CCI land cover data. Average anomalies have been calculated for both land and cropland exposure to drought. The dataset has a global coverage on a national level; on the sub-national TL2 level (i.e. large subnational regions) results are reported for all OECD countries as well as for Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia and South Africa. A number of aggregates are included: Euro area, European Union, Advanced economies, Emerging market economies, G7, G20, OECD, OECD Europe, OECD Asia Oceania, OECD Americas and the LAC region. Data source(s): Copernicus Climate Change Initiative land cover data and Copernicus Climate Data Store monthly soil moisture data (ERA5). Contact: ENV.Stat@oecd.org Database documentation